The point is unless the population is greatly reduced the way progress is considered by our current system of economics, then in the coming years most of the non-MS & Ph.D. crowd, and some higher-end workers, like accounting and finance, are all probably going to be automated out of existence over time, that's where I think so-called progress is heading whether anyone likes it or not. This creates a vacuum in the consumer side of our economy, that's when folks like you will start seriously thinking about UBI style programs, however, that's handled. I mean even though computers should be able to handle enough complexity to handle finance equity in a country of 1 billion people, in the future.

Also just for grins: If we boomers live another 5 years and we find vending coffee machines with lower prices than anyone's fav barista down the street, plus no difference in subjective qualities, what will we buy? Hmm. In a way, we are also trapped by progress, possibly.